Coke-releasing device for vertical retorts



Feb. 16 ,1926. 1,573,145

P. H. DOUGLAS ET AL 00KB RELEASING DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS Filed Dec. 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb.- '16 1926.

I 1,573,145 P. H. DOUGLAS ET AL I COKE RELEASING DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETOR'I'S Filed Dec. 10, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 mi; MYMM Feb 16 1926. 1,573,145'

P. H. DOUGLAS ET AL COKE RELEASING DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS Filed Dec. 10, 1923 4 sheets-Sheet s Feb. 16, 1926. 1,573,145

P. H. DOUGLAS ET AL COKE RELEASING DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORTS Filed Deg. 10, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 G k g Q Patented Feb. lfi, 1926.

warren stares PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL H. DOUGLAS AND IVOR D. THOMAS, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE tVELLMAN-SEAVER-MORGAN COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A COR- PORATION OF OHIO.

COKE-RELEASING DEVICE FOR VERTICAL RETORIS.

Application filed. December 10, 192 3.

To (ZZZ 107L071), it may concern:

Be it known that we, PAUn H. DoUoLAs and Ivon D. THOMAS, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Cleve land Heights, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, and Cleveland Heights, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in C okeReleasing Devices for Vertical Retorts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to what may be termed a coke releasing device for use in connection with vertical retorts.

It has been found that the extreme heat, particularly in the lower part of a vertical coke retort eats away the brickwork, forming pockets, with the result that the coke has a tendency to enter these pockets, in consequence of which the removal of the coke merely by gravity is sometimes impossible,

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device which will release the coke from the upright walls of the retort so that it may, when loosened, )ass by gravity from the bottom of the retort.

Further the invention aims to provide a coke releasing device in the form of a ram, which may be inserted in the top of the retort so as to loosen the coke so that it may fall by gravity through the bottom of the retort, or forciblyeject it from the retort.

A further object of the invention .is to provide a coke loosening device carried by a carriage and arranged to travel over the top of a series of retorts so that it may be inserted down into the top of any of the retorts. I

A still further object is to provide a series of the coke loosening devices or rams to adapt the apparatus for use in connection with a battery of retorts arranged in a plurality of parallel rows so that the rams may be arranged over corresponding retorts of different rows simultaneously, and either singly or in combination lowered into the different retorts so as to perform the coke loosening function.

A still further-object is to provide means whereby a ram may be extended a considerable distance into a retort from the top Serial NO. 679,585.

without requiring a head room for movement of the ram above the retort commensurate with the vertical movement which is imparted to the lower end of the ram. In other words, it is one of the objects of our invention to permit the use of aram having a long stroke inside the retort without requiring a head room that a rigid ram would necessitate,

a ram being supported in its uppermost posi- 3".

tion when it is unclutched from the operating member, and released when the clutch is engaged.

The above and other objects are attained by our invention, which may be here briefly! summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Fig. 1 shows our improved coke releasing device adapted to be moved over a series of vertical retorts, the upper portions of which are illustrated and shown in section,

and the tracks adapted to support the carriage carrying the rams likewise being in section; Fig. 2 is an end view of the coke releasing device looking toward the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partly in section, showing portions of the series of rams and the mechanism for raising and lowering them, parts being broken away; Fig. 4. is a detail view showing one of the rams in elevated position and showing the guides for the ram, incl nding theguidcs for hinged upper sections thereof for permitting the latter to swing on their pivots and move laterally to minimize head room requirements; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same in the position shown in Fig. 4, Fig. G is a view similar to Fig. 4-, showing the ram partly lowered and with the upper hinged sections swung back to vertical position; Fig. 7 shows the top of the ram when the latter is in its lowermost position, and

also shows a portion of the guiding means for the ram; Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion or section of the ram showing the pivotal supports for the upper pivoted laterally movable sections of the ram.

In the embodiment-of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there is provided a device having three rams or coke loosening devices for a battery of "ertical retorts arranged in three parallel rows. we have shown the'tops of three 'retorts', 1O, 10 and 10 each retort 10, 1O and 10 rep resenting one retort of a row.

The rams, which are designated 11, are arranged in a row extending transversely of the rows of retorts, and in this instance these rams are carried by a traveling carriage 12, supported on track wheels 13, adapted to engage an overhead traekway 14. It is not necessary that an overhead trackway be employed, for if desired, the carriage may travel along tracks arranged at or about the. level of the top of the retorts, or at an intermediate level between the top of the retorts and the position of the tracks as illustrated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the number of rains provided on the carriage may be greater or less than illustrated, the number depending preferably upon the number of rows of retorts.

lVe wish it to be understood, however, that though a plural number of rams is preferable, the number corresponding tothe munber of rows of retorts, we do not intend our invention to be so limited, for under certain circumstances a single ram may be utilized regardless of whether there are one or more than one row of retort-s, for with a single ram, and a battery containing more than one row of retorts, the ram could be shifted from one row to the other, as well as to be moved lengthwise of the row or rows.

In the embodiment of our invention as illustrated, the rams and the framework which supports guides for the rams extend down from the frame of the carriage 12,

each ram having depending structural menn hers 15 supporting ram guides, to be referred to. Additionally at one end the carriage has a depending framework 16 sup} porting an operators platform 17, a ram actuating motor 18, and a traversing motor 19, the latter being connected by reduction gearing 20 to a shaft 21 provided at its ends with pinions 22 engaging gears rotatable with two of the track wheels 13.

At their lower ends the ra ns are provided with heads 23, which are preferably oval shaped, and are concave on the under side, these heads being a suitable distance above the upper ends of the retorts when the rams are fully elevated, and being of a size such that they will enter the retorts when the carriageis properly located with reference to the retorts so as to push the coke down- In Fig. 1'

ward and loosen it from the side walls when the rams are lowered. The particular shape of the loosening heads 23 is desirable, as it avoids the lateral wedging of the heads and the amming of the same against the wall of the retort in the event that the top of the pile of coke in the retort is not level.

In the preferred embodiment of our invention each ram consists of a number of sections consisting of a rigid vertically movable section, and hinged sections at the top adapted to swing and assume a substantially horizontal position as the ram is moved to its uppermost position, and to move inward into alignment with the rigid vertical section when the ram is lowered. In this instance, each ram has two pivoted and: laterally movable sections, though the number of sections may be greater than two if desired. On sheet 4 of the drawings the rigid vertical section is designated 11 and the two pivoted sections are designated 11 and 11 respectively. For guiding the vertical part of the ram, two sets of guide rollers 2-;t are employed, and in addition, fixed guide plates 25 near the bottom of the ram support ing framework are employed. The sets of rollers 24 are supported in the ram supporting framework including the depending frame members 15 associated. with each ram, as previously explained. Near the top of the traveling device and extending slightly above the carriage frame 12, curved guides 26 are .)ro vided which are adapted tocanse the upper pivot-ed sections 11 and 11 to swing outwardly in opposite directions and assume a substantially horizontal position when the rain is in its uppermost position, these guides being adapted to be engaged by rollers 2''? carried by the upper ends of the two sections 11" and 11", as most clearly shown in Fi g. 5. When the ram is lowered, the sections 11" and 11 swing back into vertical. position, as shown in Fig. (3. the section 11 being then received within. or between the sides of the section 11.. v

The two sections 11 and 1.1 are supported on separate pivot pins 28 and 20, the latter being arranged above and to one side of the former. The inward swinging movement toward vertical position of the two members is limited so that they cannot swing beyond the vertical; that is to say, the section 11" cannot swing beyond the vertical in a (l0cl wise direction as the same is viewed in Fig. 1-, and the section 11 cannot swing beyond the vertical in a counter-clockwise direction. When these sections are in vertical position thebottom faces 80 and 31 of the two sections rest solidly against shoulders 30 and 31 at the upper part of the vertical section 11 of the ram. .By this arrangement a solid construction is provided when the sections 11 and 11 are swung to vertical position, and buckling any direction is pre vented. In other words, the construction is such that when the same is in use it performs the functions of a rigid ram.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the rains, a horizontal power shaft 32 is provided, which shaft is in this instance connected by spur gearing 32 to a shaft 33, in turn connected. tothe motor 18 by suitable reduction gearing, preferably worm and worm wheel gearing contained in a case 33 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 In this instance the rams are raised and lowered by rack and pinion gearing, the power shaft 32 having three pinions 34:, one for each rack and adapted to engage rack teeth 35 formed on the rigid vertical sections 11, and the latterally swinging sections 11 of the rams. For the purpose of selectively operating the rams, either singly or in combinations, the pinions are designed to be clutched to and unclutched from the power shaft 82 by clutches 36, including clutch members slidable upon the power shaft by clutch yokes .36 the same bein connected for rocking 7 t3 in movement by levers 37 and links 38 to hand levers 39 adapted to be manually operated by the operator when occupying his platform or station 17. Thus by operating these hand levers 39, one of which: is providedfor each rain, the clutches can be 'thrown in or out, making it possible to cause any one of the rams to be operated singly, or in com binations of any two, or, all three may be operated simultaneously if desired. The provision of means for selectively operating the clutches, and therefore for selectively operating the rams, is of importance, for it enables all the power of the motor to be applied to one of the rams if desired. This may be of importance if the coke stands at the same level in all three retorts arranged in any particular instance beneath the rams, but if the coke happens to be at different levels in the three retorts, though the rams were lowered sin'niltaneously, they would become effective for doing work successively, in which event the full power of the motor would be applied to the different rams as they successively engage and push: the coke downward in the respective retorts.

When any particular pinion is imclutched from the power shaft, it is necessary that the ram be held in elevated position to prevent it dropping by gravity. lVe have provided latches for holding the rains in elevated position, and have interlocked the latches with the clutches in such a way that it is impossible to unclutch apinion so as to free it from the power shaft unless the ram is latched or secured against downward movement. The latches for accomplishing this are shown at 40, and though in this instance pivoted latches are enualoyed, other forms such as sliding bolts can be employed if desired. These latches are interlocked with the clutches by means of links all connected by arms or levers 4:2 to the rock shafts of the clutch yokes 36. It will be seen particularly by reference to the right hand ram of Fig. 3, that each latch is adapted to enter an opening 43 in the lower part of the ram, and to engage under a shoulder 44 of the rain atthe top of this opening.

The arrangen'ient is such that the latch l0 is not disengaged from this shoulder until the clutch for the associated pinion is engaged, and furthermore, the clutch is not disengaged until the latch engages the shoulder at and is therefore in position to support the ram. Furthermore, since the latch enters the opening 4;?) to reach the shoulder 441-, it is obvious that the pinion for any particular ram cannot be unclutched from its power shaft unless the ram is in its uppermost position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 3, and illustrated also for thefirst and second rams of Fig. 1 counting from the left.

We may, if desired, provide a suitable interlock between the traversing motor and some part or parts of the ram operating mechanism so as to render it in'iposs-ible to start the traversing motor unless all the rains are elevated;

'YVhen each ram reaches its lUWGlll'lOSt position, ahook-like projection 4-5 provided at the top thereof (see particularly Fig. 7) is adapted to engage the top of the fixed guide plate 25.

As it may be necessary at times to exert considerable power on a ram to loosen the coke in a retort, the carriage is preferably provided with safety hooks shown conven tionally at 47, adapted to extend under the upper flanges of I-beams 4:8 su 'ipo-rting the track rails so as to prevent the carriage being lifted off the rails by the downward force applied through a rain onto the coke in a retort.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided a coke loosening device in the forn'i of a ran'i, which can be extended down into the top of a vertical coke retort so as to loosen the coke, and that an'iple downward pressure may be applied'tothe coke to accomplish the desired result. Likewise it will be seen that we have provided a movable carriage to carry the ram to permit the ram to serve a series of retorts, and that to facilitate the loosening of the coke in a battery of torts arranged in rows, by providing a series of rams, one for eachrow, the necessity of shifting a ranr laterally from row to row is obviated. and therefore. the coke can be loosened in any one or all of the retorts without unnecessary waste of time. Likewise it will be observed that by providing sectional ram or rams, the latter may have considerable vertical movement downward into the retorts even though there may be llO tion simultaneously, and that a full measure of safety is provided for supporting the rams in their uppermost positions when the rams are disconnected from the raising and lowering, and power applying means.

While we have shown the preferred construction, we. do not desire to be confined to the exact details or arrangen'ients shown,but aim in our claims to cover all modifications which do not involve departure from the spirit and scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. The combination with a vertical retort, of a coke loosener comprising a vertically movable member adapted to be extended into the top of the retort, and power means for lowering and forcing the member (low ward to disengage the colic from the side walls of the retort.

2. The combination with a series of vertical retorts, ofa carriage havinga vertically movable ram adapted to be inserted in the tops of said retorts to disengage the coke from the side walls of the retorts.

3. The combination with a battery of vertical retorts, of means for loosening the coke'from the side walls of the retorts comprising a carriage movable over the rctorts, and a power actuated ram by, which pressure may be applied to the upper end of a column of colre in any of said retort;

4:. The cou'ibination with a plurality of vertical retorts arranged side by side and having openings in the tops thereof, of a carriage having a plurality of rams adapted to be positioned one in alignment with each of said openings, and power means for raising and lowering the rams.

The combination with a plurality of vertical retort-s arranged side by side and having openings in the tops thereof, a carriage mounted to travel over the retorts and having a plurality of rams adapted to be positioned one in alignment with each of said openings, and power means for operating the rams successively or simultaneously. I

6. Means for loosening the coke from the walls of vertical coke retorts, conmrising a vertically movable ram composed of sections-adapted to move relatively'to adapt the device for limited head room.

.ram having a plurality of sections movable laterally in. opposite directions when the ram is elevated, and adapted to assume vertical position when the ram is lowered.

' 9. Means for loosening the coke from the walls of vertical cokeretorts comprising a ram, actuating means for the ram, guides for the ram, the ram being composed of hinged sections which when in vertical position cause the ram to function as a rigid member.

10. Means for loosening the coke from the vertical walls of coke retorts comprising a frame, a ram movable vertically therein,

power means for actuating the ram adapted to be connected to and disconnected from the ram, and means for supporting the ram in elevated position independently of the actuating means.

11. Means for loosening the coke from the walls of vertical coke ovens comprising a frame, a ram movable vertically therein,

power means for actuating the ram and adapted to be disengaged therefrom, and a latch for supporting the ram independently of the power means when the latter is disengaged from the ram.

12. Means for loosening the coke from. the walls of vertical coke retorts comprising a frame, a ram movable vertically therein,

power means for actuating the ram, means for rendering the power means effective and ineffective, and a latch for supporting the ram when the power means is ineffective, said latch being interlocked with said means.

13. Means for loosening the coke from the walls of vertical coke retorts comprising a frame, a ram movable vertically therein, power means for actuating the ram, a clutch for clutching and unclutching the power means, a latch for holding the ram elevated when the clutch is disengaged, said latch being interlocked with the clutch so as to be withdrawn only when the clutch is engaged. and to be moved to ram supporting position before the clutch is disengaged.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto afiix our signatures.

PAUL H. DOUGLAS. IVOR D. THOMAS. 

